Venice protesters plan to disrupt US ambassador’s superyacht visit

Protesters in Venice are planning to disrupt a visit by the billionaire US ambassador to Italy in his 117-metre superyacht, which they fear he plans to dock in the lagoon city. At a meeting of about 40 demonstrators, researcher and activist Stella Faye said: "We ruined the party for Jeff Bezos’s wedding last year – this year let’s ruin the ambassador’s tour!" Tilman Fertitta intends to visit Venice on 17 July as part of a cruise around Italy’s coastline to celebrate ties between Rome and Washington and the 250th anniversary of US independence — a tour he has called "Coastal Diplomacy 250".

Activists fear he will dock in the historical centre for the Festa del Redentore, when Venetians cross a temporary floating bridge to the church on Giudecca and gather to watch a Saturday-night firework display; "Redentore is one of the few occasions that still belongs to the people of Venice," Faye said.

Fertitta’s yacht, Boardwalk, is described as a 32-metre-high, six-deck vessel with two helipads and two swimming pools, reportedly worth $450m.

Italy, Venice

venice, protesters, tilman fertitta, superyacht, boardwalk, us ambassador, festa redentore, giudecca, coastal diplomacy, us independence